Keep Falcon Field Safe

The issue

The CAE/Oxford Aviation Academy dominates flight activity at Falcon Field with over 50 airplanes used to train foreign commercial pilots. (Click here to see photos of CAE's aircraft) CAE/Oxford frequently changes their story on how many aircraft they actually have in use at Falcon Field, so it's hard to give an accurate number.

They fly training patterns at minimum possible altitudes over the neighborhoods of Mesa up to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, 360 days per year.

The student training flights are only briefly high enough to allow safe return to the airport in the event of an engine failure, which is in violation of the FAA's own regulation 14CFR-91.119

Student practice is constrained under the landing approach of Phoenix Sky Harbor airport 15 miles to the west and by mountains starting 4 miles to the north/east.

The chances of mid-air collision or crash into a neighborhood have risen enormously as a result of the extraordinary number of these beginner flights.

Leaded fuel used by the flight school decomposes after combustion into microscopic lead particles which rain down on the community.

CAE has already had 2 offsite crashes (4 fatalities) since coming to Falcon Field and is currently being sued by a victim for flight agreements with a client that contributed "to a culture whereby safe flight practices were sacrificed for economic gain."

The solution:

CAE/Oxford should only use the tight north training pattern for its touch and gos as specified on the State of Arizona Real Estate disclosure map in effect when the school initially relocated here.

CAE/Oxford should follow all "Fly Friendly" guidelines of Falcon Field, which it is not currently doing.

CAE/Oxford should fly at a minimum altitude of 1000' above residential neighborhoods.

If CAE/Oxford cannot meet these safety objectives, it should relocate to a safer airport.

What you can do to help:

Explain to your neighbors that the greatly increased low altitude flights over their homes is not due to general aviation but is almost entirely from CAE/Oxford Air Academy.

Consult this website frequently for news and meeting announcements.

Write the City Council at council@Mesaaz.gov or via this form demanding that the City take back control of its airport and put a stop to CAE/Oxford's unsafe flight over Mesa neighborhoods.

Support upcoming voter initiatives to put constraints on large flight schools at Falcon Field.